The forensic report of the 19-year-old Dalit girl whose death has sparked nationwide outrage reveals that she was not sexually assaulted and says that the girl eventually died of a heart attack.
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report also found no trace of sperm on the victim’s body, according to Uttar Pradesh’s Additional Director General of Police Prashant Kumar.
“The FSL report has clarified that the victim was not raped. The report has been sent for further investigation,” he said. Kumar also mentioned a fresh video suggesting that the girl’s tongue was not chopped off.
But after examining the body, the post-mortem report stated terrible injuries caused to the girl before her demise.
“There is no mention of sexual assault in the report. But the membrane of her private part is torn. But there is no mention of when it was torn,” said BN Mishra, forensics head at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, who analysed the post-mortem report.
The report states that the girl died of “alleged post strangulation with cervical spine injury with sepsis with cardiopulmonary arrest”. Mishra helped simplify the several injuries caused to the girl before she died. It points out ‘NAD’ (No Abnormalities Detected) in the girl’s pelvic area and vaginal tract, among other key findings.
Sepsis
“Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens when an infection in the skin, lungs, urinary tract, or somewhere else, spreads and triggers a chain reaction throughout the body,” said Mishra.
Ligature mark on neck
“An external examination of the body detected a brownish-black scabbed abrasion, or a ligature mark, on the girl’s neck. The forensics team examines ligature marks to obtain details of asphyxial deaths or death due to strangulation,” said Mishra.
Neck and backbone injuries
An internal examination of the girl’s dead body indicated bruising on the neck and the fracture of C6 cervical vertebra. It means that the girl’s neck bone was damaged before her death, according to Mishra.
“Cervical spine injuries mentioned in the report means a permanent, complete or partial loss of sensory functions and many associated complications. Injuries located higher on the spine are severe and often fatal,” he said.
Key organs intact
“Viscera samples comprise the internal organs of a body that are preserved to ascertain the cause of death in cases where autopsies are inconclusive. It includes kidney, liver, intestines brain and heart,” he said.
Heart attack
“Cardiopulmonary arrest is sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness. In cardiac arrest, the heart abruptly stops beating. Without prompt intervention, it can result in the person’s death,” said Mishra pointing out the eventual cause of the victim’s death.
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